The STARR News: August 2023 |
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August is
Overdose Awareness Month
August is Overdose Awareness Month, capped by International Overdose Awareness Day, which takes place annually on August 31st.
Overdose Awareness Month is the time to raise awareness of substance use disorders, combat the stigma that is attached to those disorders, promote treatment and celebrate recovery, and strengthen efforts to prevent overdose deaths.
August 31st marks Overdose Awareness Day, a global event to acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends, and remember those who have died or had a permanent injury due to a drug overdose.
Overdose Awareness Month spreads the message that overdose death is preventable.
What can we do to support Overdose Awareness?
- Encourage participation in Overdose Awareness events.
- Share information about the issue of fatal and non-fatal overdose.
- Send the message to current and former people who use drugs that they are valued.
- Stimulate discussion about overdose prevention and drug policy.
- Provide basic information on the range of available support services.
- Inform those around you about the risk of overdose.
We can all take action to address the overdose epidemic and enhance our support for individuals facing substance use disorder so that we can save lives.
Find more information and resources HERE and HERE. ❤
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STARR Member Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman of AFSP Receives Prestigious 2023 AAAS Fellow Appointment
A leader in the field of suicide research and winner of the STARR's 2022 Lew Yagodnik Award, Jill Harkavy-Friedman, Ph.D., senior vice president of research at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, has been recognized as a 2023 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals.
As most of you know, Dr. Jill was instrumental in changing the understanding of youth suicide as the first researcher in the U.S. to ask high school students about suicidal ideation and behavior. Over her career, she has studied and championed suicide prevention for people with schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions.
A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and all Fellows are expected to maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity. Distinguished past honorees include W.E.B. DuBois, Ellen Ochoa, Steven Chu, Grace Hopper, Alan Alda and Mae Jemison. Joining the ranks of fellows last year were roboticist Anyanna Howard and molecular biologist Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado.
“I am honored to receive acknowledgment for my life's work from AAAS, and, more importantly, to see suicide prevention and removal of stigma related to mental illness highlighted as important areas of science,” said Harkavy-Friedman. “We need to galvanize the scientific community to understand and prevent this leading cause of death. Together we can save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.”
Congratulations to one of the STARR community's favorite members!
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New Patient Survey Shows Pervasive Disparities in Access Between Mental Health and Substance Use Versus Physical Health Care
Patients reported stark access challenges in seeking mental health and substance use care and startling disparities between mental versus physical health services in a report released by The Bowman Family Foundation.
The survey found:
- More than half of patients (57%) who sought mental health or substance use care were unable to access any care on at least one occasion between January 2019 and April 2022.
- Of patients in employer-sponsored health plans, 39% reported using at least one out-of network provider for mental health or substance use outpatient care, compared to just 15% for physical health care.
- Of such patients using out-of-network providers, 80% reported using out-of-network mental health or substance use providers “all of the time” versus only 6% for physical health care.
- Even among patients who successfully made an appointment with a new in-network mental health or substance use provider, 40% had to contact four or more providers.
Findings even more concerning for adolescents.
Nearly 70% of adolescents who sought mental health or substance use care did not receive any care on at least one occasion, compared to less than 20% of those seeking physical health care.
Primary care doctors provide office-based care for more than half of patients with mental health and substance use conditions and write most prescriptions for psychotropic medications. The survey findings underscore that this care is often insufficient with 98% of adolescents who received mental health or substance use care from primary care providers reporting a need for more help from mental health or substance use specialists.
“This report lays out in clear terms what so many Americans feel in day-to-day encounters with the health care system, even when they think they are covered by insurance, whether it’s Medicare, Medicaid, or Commercial,” said Henry Harbin, MD, senior author of the report. “We recognize that insurers are providing a relatively high level of in-network access to the full range of specialty medical and surgical care for physical health diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, despite workforce shortages among some of these medical providers. Our goal is the same effective access and outcomes for mental health and substance use.”
What this means to clinical research sites:
This is an opportunity for clinical research sites that specialize in mental illnesses to step up. The facts attest to the great need for specialization and research sites have that expertise. We are happy to work with your team and brainstorm ways to leverage this information to help promote your site within your community.
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Science needs you.
You can be the brain behind the breakthrough, whether you have a neurologic disorder or a healthy brain. Scientists need both kinds. And there is no cost to your family for you to donate this precious gift.
Pre-register and complete the online form, which mainly asks for contact information and to specify the nature of a neurologic diagnosis, if the potential donor has one. The Brain Donor Project then shares the donor’s information with the appropriate brain bank within the NeuroBioBank. The NeuroBioBank is a structure of brain banks around the country that store and distribute brain tissue on behalf of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH is the primary U.S. agency responsible for biomedical and public health research.
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National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of routine vaccination for people of all ages.
Many patients are looking for reassurance from their provider that vaccines are safe and effective. A strong, clear recommendation is usually enough, but others may need more information. Listening to their concerns and answering their questions can help them feel confident in choosing to get a vaccine.
Practical strategies for successful conversations
Here are some strategies you can use during NIAM to remind your patients and caregivers to stay up to date on routine vaccinations:
- Talk to your patients and caregivers about any missed vaccines and assess vaccination status at every visit.
- Use plain language when addressing concerns about vaccine safety.
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Practice the SHARE approach to help patients make informed decisions about vaccination.
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Show your practice’s support of vaccination throughout the month by displaying NIAM graphics on your website and on social media.
Find more information on how you can support National Immunization Awareness Month HERE. Check out THIS PAGE for amazing information on the history of vaccines.
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North Texas Clinical Trials (NTXCT) created a poster out of their STARR community resources list and hung it in their lobby.
One of the benefits of the STARR Certification is the list of verified community resources compiled for each certified site to provide to their patients and caregivers. NTXCT took the list and created a poster, which they framed and hung in the lobby.
What a great way to go the extra mile for your patients, NTXCT!
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School is back in session in Georgia and CenExel ACMR and CenExel iResearch are supporting their local communities by helping students and their families have a successful start to the new school year. Site staff recently attended health fairs, hosted by Fulton County Division of Family & Children Services and Ebenezer Baptist Church. CenExel staff handed out free backpacks and lunch boxes and shared information on enrolling pediatric and adult clinical trials.
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In July the team at Neuro-Behavioral Clinical Research walked with our patient ambassadors in the 2023 Football Hall of Fame Community Parade. The parade highlights local businesses and community actions agencies that work year-round to support the citizens of Canton, Ohio. Dr. Shishuka Malhotra's site was selected to participate in this year's parade in recognition of their dedication to providing accessible mental health and memory care for all.
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Announcing CNS Healthcare's newest Principal Investigator, Tatyana Miroshnikova, MD, PhD! She joins the research team at the Orlando, FL Downtown and SODO locations. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and was trained at The Mount Vernon Hospital, Mt. Vernon, NY. In addition, she was trained and also practiced Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Donetsk Medical University, Ukraine prior to moving to the United States. She has previously served as an Investigator on over 50 Phase II-IV clinical trials.
Please join us in wishing her a warm welcome to CNS Healthcare!
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Segal Trials' educates their community as often as possible. Last month, they shared information about depression symptoms and how signs may vary between each individual. In an interview with Segal Trials’ Chief Scientific Officer and Medical Director, Dr. Rishi Kakar unpacked the interconnected causes, symptoms, and treatments of depression. In brief, “When you know someone with depression, you only know one depression,” Dr. Kakar stated. Read his blog post here!
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Scentful Slumbers: Enhancing Memory in Older Adults Through Nightly Aromatherapy - Researchers at UC Irvine found that nightly aromatherapy could boost memory in older adults. Subjects exposed to natural oil fragrances for two hours each night over six months exhibited a dramatic 226% surge in cognitive capacity. This innovative approach capitalizes on the intricate connection between smell and memory, offering a potential non-invasive strategy to battle cognitive decline and dementia.
Two Forms of Non-Drug Therapy Helped Reduce Impulsive Aggression in Schizophrenia - Researchers out of Weill Cornell Medical Center have identified two forms of cognitive remediation that “significantly reduce” impulsive aggression and significantly improve overall cognitive function in schizophrenia patients with a history of impulsive aggressive behavior. The cognitive remediation training (CRT) paired with what the team called “social cognition training” (SCT) were found to “significantly reduce” impulsive aggression, measured in several different ways. Further, cognition as well as emotion recognition improved more in patients who received both therapies in combination.
GABA Receptors Unveiled as Potential Antidepressant Targets - A new study argues the neurotransmitter GABA and its principal receptors could play a key role in managing depressive disorders. Researchers suggest potential pathways through which GABA-modulating treatments could alleviate both cognitive and affective symptoms linked to depression. They elaborate that both drugs that enhance and inhibit GABA-A receptor activity could have antidepressant effects, necessitating a new understanding of depression treatment. The paper signifies a significant step forward in leveraging GABA-A receptors as targets for depressive and cognitive disorders.
Schizophrenia Linked to Non-Inherited Genetic Mutations - The study scrutinized genotype-marker data from over 20,000 blood samples, identifying two genes, NRXN1 and ABCB11, that correlate with schizophrenia when disrupted during development. NRXN1 is known to help transmit signals throughout the brain and has been linked to schizophrenia before, but this is the first instance of non-inherited mutations being implicated -- the discovery of ABCB11’s association with schizophrenia was unexpected, providing new insights into the genetic complexity of the disorder.
Social Media Algorithms Distort Social Instincts and Fuel Misinformation - (Yes, I know that we already know all of this, but here is yet MORE data...) Social media algorithms are designed to promote user engagement, thereby amplifying inherent human biases for learning from prestigious or in-group members. This amplification often promotes misinformation and polarization as it doesn’t discern the accuracy of the information. This study suggests users should be made aware of the bias and that tech companies should adjust their algorithms to foster healthier online communities, limit the amplification of potentially polarizing content, and diversifying the range of content presented to users.
Good News - Bad News for Sage and Biogen - The good news: the FDA approved the companies' drug, known as zuranolone and now marketed as Zurzuvae, for postpartum depression, making it the first-ever pill for a frequently overlooked condition that affects an estimated 500,000 women each year.
The bad news: Zurzuvae was rejected by the FDA for major depressive disorder in a surprise move. Some experts thought the data from Sage’s studies in MDD were murky, and the FDA wasn’t convinced of the drug’s effectiveness in major depression. Sage and its development and commercialization partner Biogen were banking on an approval in the far more prevalent form of depression in order to turn Zurzuvae into psychiatry’s next blockbuster product.
Mental health respite facilities are filling care gaps in over a dozen states - Peer respite facilities have been cropping up nationwide over the past 20 years, offering short-term, homelike, nurturing environments for people who are experiencing a mental health crisis but don't need immediate medical attention. At respites, patients are treated like guests, proponents say, and can feel heard and keep their dignity without having to relinquish their clothes and other belongings. A 2015 study published online in the journal Psychiatric Services found that people who sought respite were 70% less likely to use inpatient emergency services than non-respite users.
Experts say the programs fill a void, though there is little hard data on their effectiveness. Paolo del Vecchio, director of the Office of Recovery at the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said peer-run respites have proven themselves as an "evidence-based model of care," with positive effects including reduced hospitalizations and increased engagement with community support services. Still, del Vecchio said, more research is needed to analyze how the programs are working and troubleshoot problems. SAMHSA is conducting a cost-benefit analysis of respite programs that officials hope to release this summer. We'll keep you updated!
Henrietta Lacks’ family settles lawsuit with a biotech company that used her cells without consent. - Lawyers representing the family of Henrietta Lacks announced a confidential settlement with biotechnology giant Thermo Fisher Scientific yesterday. Lacks, who was a 31-year-old Black woman, was undergoing surgery for cervical cancer at the then-segregated Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951 when a sample of cells from a tumor was biopsied without her consent—a legal process at the time. Known as HeLa cells, Lacks' cells became the first so-called immortalized human cell line, meaning they could be grown and used endlessly in a lab for medical research. They have since been used in over 75,000 studies leading to groundbreaking discoveries in medicine, including vaccine development, cancer treatments, in vitro fertilization, AIDS research, and more. Despite her significant impact on science, Lacks and her family remained largely unknown until the 1970s.
Alliance for Patient Access released 'Leading Health Economics Organization Overlooks Societal Value of New Drugs' report. Assessing the value of a medication should include the benefits that a treatment offers society overall, not just the value it offers payers or the health care system. Current cost-effectiveness models, however, have been slow to adopt this standard. A review of assessments from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), a well known value assessment organization, shows that the organization frequently deviates from its commitment to applying a modified societal perspective to its assessments.
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Boehringer Ingelheim celebrates their 2023 summer interns! With summer internships across the US, Boehringer Ingelheim offers a variety of opportunities to help student interns grow and develop skills. Interns work directly with Boehringer staff on challenging assignments to gain real-world experience, enrich their programs of study, and through planned events, they are able to connect and build their networks.
We commend Boehringer and the students for their curiosity to learn and their inventive ideas to help drive innovation for human and animal health.
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At Teva, internships are a vital part of the company's commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders and innovators.
This summer, Teva is hosting more than 70 interns across their various US sites and business units ranging from R&D, operations, commercial, and HR. The internship program offers students an opportunity to gain industry experience while developing professional skills for the future.
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Mr. Rosin has more than 30 years of experience from Wave Life Sciences and prior to that, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals. At Ironwood, he was instrumental in shaping the culture to support the company’s transition from a clinical-stage company to a fully integrated commercial-stage biotechnology company, and continuously sought to upgrade Ironwood’s capabilities and focus on execution. Prior to Ironwood, he led all management and leadership development and talent management at Fidelity Investments, was Director of Leadership and Organization Development at Sanofi Genzyme.
Mr. Rosin received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology and his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
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A Note from the ABC:
Our friends at the ABC have prepared a detailed appropriations summary of the ABC’s appropriations priorities, which includes brain-related language contained in the Senate’s Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations report and the Senate’s Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies appropriations report. Please note the corrected figure for the National Science Foundation in the House, reflecting the House Committee’s proposed overall funding for the agency.
When Congress returns from recess, there will be very few legislative days for the House and Senate to complete appropriations by the end of the Fiscal Year on September 30. We expect to see at least one continuing resolution to keep the government funded as negotiations continue and will continue to keep ABC members apprised of committee action in the House and any key floor votes in either chamber.
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Students With Psychosis is excited to invite you to our upcoming conference in New York City on August 26th, 2023. Students With Psychosis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers student leaders and advocates worldwide through community building and collaboration. Whether you are a student, family member, advocate, caregiver, creative, or healthcare professional, this conference is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the human experience of living with psychosis. We hope you join us for a day of education, community-building, and empowerment on August 26th in New York City from 9 AM to 5 PM ET located at 109 W 39th St, New York, New York. If you would like to present a poster, have a booth, or be a sponsor for this event, please email conference2023@sws.ngo. Learn more here.
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The 148th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association (ANA2023) will be held in Philadelphia, September 9-12, 2023. The Annual Meeting will convene the nation’s top academic neurologists and neuroscientists. Learn more here.
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Starting in September 2023, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will celebrate 75 years of transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. Join the Friends of NIMH as we launch the celebration with "The Evolution of Mental Health Research" symposium. This symposium will showcase key advances over the past 75 years and feature distinguished speakers and thought leaders in mental health research. This event is scheduled for September 13, 2023, from 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. ET at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. You can join us virtually if you cannot attend in person. Click here for more information and to register.
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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN for the 11th Annual “Rally for Medical Research Hill Day” being held Thursday, September 14, 2023, with the “Rally Hill Day” reception taking place during the evening of Wednesday, September 13, 2023. This initiative is an opportunity for supporters from the 400 participating organizations to join together to speak with one voice about making NIH a national priority.
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The Site Solutions Summit is being held October 6-8, 2023 in Hollywood, Florida. Organized by the Society for Clinical Research Site (SCRS), the Site Solutions Summit provides a unique hub where sites, sponsors, CRO executives, and regulators come together to discuss best practices and ideas while developing strategic partnerships through ideation sessions, workshops, and focus groups. Learn more here.
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The 2023 Mental Health Services Conference, October 12-14, in Washington, D.C., brings together everyone caring for those with mental illness, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, primary care physicians, social workers, and more, to collaborate on practical advice to influence systems-level change for their patients. Learn more here.
6th Edition of International Conference on Neurology and Brain Disorders Conference (INBC2023) will be held in Boston, October 19-21, 2023. More information here.
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The National Federation of Families (NFF) is hosting their 34th Annual Conference Nov. 9-11 in Chicago. The focus for this year is Advancing Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion for Families and their Children. If you aren't familiar with NFF, you might consider going to this conference and connecting with NFF, which is the nationwide advocacy organization with families as its sole focus, playing an important role in helping parents, caregivers, and families of children—of any age—whose lives are impacted by mental health and substance use challenges. Consider sponsoring or exhibiting to connect with families of children across the lifespan who experience mental health and/or substance use challenges and the workforce that offers them support. Learn more about the conference here.
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The NAMI Texas Annual Conference, held in Houston, Nov. 3-4, is the event of the year for the TX mental health community. With extraordinary keynote speakers, experiences for peers/families/providers, free CEUs, and dozens of workshops, this year's event is not to be missed! For more information at to register, click here!
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The American Brain Coalition (ABC) is hosting their Annual Membership Meeting on Nov. 13th, from 2pm to 4pm at the Westin Washington DC Downtown Hotel. The ABC is a nonprofit organization comprised of the United States’ leading professional neurological, psychological, and psychiatric associations and patient organizations. Together, we seek to advance the understanding of the functions of the brain, and to reduce the burden of brain disorders through public education and advocacy. On behalf of all who live with neurological and psychiatric disorders, we invite organizations that share our concerns and goals to join us at our Annual Membership Meeting. Learn more here.
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Sites -- please share your feedback!
The STARR Coalition is working on developing a training program for clinical research assistants, with a focus on psychiatric studies. Would you utilize this training program?
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Please select the ONE response that most closely aligns with your situation:
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YES: we need help training new staff and don't have the bandwidth!
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POSSIBLY: we could use some help, but have neither the time nor money to spend.
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NO - our in-house training works fine for us.
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Comments -- please hit reply with any comments you have to share!
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Thank you for reading!
If you have questions, comments, or would like to submit an item to be included in an upcoming newsletter, please email erica@thestarr.org.
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The STARR Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, our Tax ID # is 47-4634007.
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Everything The STARR Coalition does comes from our stakeholders looking to make positive change.
The STARR Coalition | phone: 501-725-8890 | www.thestarr.org
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SHARE, CARE, AND BE KIND. |
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